Name: "AI Vibe Hackathon #2 - New Tools \u0026 Best Practices"
Start: "2025-11-20T09:00:00"
End: "2025-11-21T16:30:00"
Location: "ZDI Ideenlabor, Würzburg"

AI Vibe Hackathon #2 – New Tools & Best Practices

On November 20–21, 2025, the second AI Vibe Hackathon took place in Würzburg. Following the success of the first event, 55 participants came together this time to build functional alpha versions in just 36 hours — some tested directly with real users on the spot.

Highlights

55 participants from a wide variety of backgrounds
Multiple functional alpha versions built in just two days
Intensive discussions on practical AI use
Alexander Aulbach (Mayflower) shared valuable insights on LLM context and outer-loop/inner-loop patterns
Collaboration over Competition — everyone went home a winner

Winners

It never stops being fascinating how creativity combined with AI can produce usable products in such a short time!

🥇 1st Place: Ocucídia Maxaieie – Cookini App
After finishing second at the first hackathon, Ocucídia rebuilt her idea from scratch incorporating feedback from the Würzburg Accelerator and delivered an impressive result. The vision: the DuoLingo/Babbel of cooking — learning to cook playfully with AI.

🥈 2nd Place (tied):

Philipp Sodmann & Dominik Benchert – AIMergency Room
Learning intensive care medicine through AI role-play with simulated patients. An LLM-based training tool for realistic emergency room simulations for junior doctors. Their key concern: many medical AI tools lead to deskilling — they want to make doctors more competent, not more dependent.
Raphael Lott – Ocelo
Project management for music labels & creatives

🥉 3rd Place (tied):

Michael Baumgart – Barcamp Manager
Built until 20 seconds before the presentation — and then the app ran flawlessly.
Mahshid Danesh, Dr. rer. nat – Social Health & Wellbeing App
A Walk & Talk app for mental health and social wellbeing

Special Moments

Day 1:

Introduction to the levels of AI support and practical AI application
Alexander Aulbach from Mayflower GmbH shared valuable insights on LLM context and engineering best practices
Individual coaching for participants at every level
Open-end hacking in the evening alongside the ZDI founders’ meetup

Day 2:

Intense work and refinement of projects
Energised by breakfast courtesy of our generous sponsors
Impressive demo sessions starting at 1:30 pm

What Participants Valued Most

Modular thinking: Breaking complex ideas into small building blocks and shaping them step by step into a product
Tool exposure: Discovering and immediately applying new AI tools like Lovable, Cursor, and Windsurf
Vibe-coding efficiency: Going from concept to implementation significantly faster than with traditional methods
Open exchange: People speaking honestly about their experiences and sharing knowledge
Psychological safety: An atmosphere where you can ask questions and experiment freely

When & Where?

Date: November 20–21, 2025
Venue: ZDI Ideenlabor, Rottendorfer Straße 71, Würzburg
Admission: Free

What is the AI Vibe Hackathon?

Whether you are just getting started with AI or already working with it professionally — at the AI Vibe Hackathon we meet you where you are today. In two intensive days you turn your idea into a working prototype — solo or in a team, with or without coding experience.

The AI Journey – For All Levels

🏄‍♂️ Discovery & Prototyping
Experimenting, mockups, sketching ideas, unleashing creativity

🚲 MVPs & Web Apps
First functional products, no-code/low-code, your own websites and mini-apps

🚗 Agentic AI Coding
AI-assisted development with autonomy, from feature tickets to pull requests, vibe coding with MCP tools (Filesystem, Playwright, n8n)

✈️ Augmented Teams
AI becomes part of team processes, integrated in DevOps, product and support

🚀 AI Native
Strategic transformation, toolchains, org-wide agents and contexts

Schedule

The hackathon is deliberately flexible and personalised: no rigid agenda, but plenty of space for hacking, sessions and spontaneous presentations.

Thursday: 09:00 – ~18:00 official programme
After: Open-end hacking + ZDI founders’ meetup & drinks
Friday: 09:00 – 13:30 collaborative work, exchange & sessions
Friday: 13:30 demos begin

There will be various presentations, sessions and exchange formats — the exact schedule takes shape together on the day.

What to Bring

Laptop with your preferred tools
Ideas or problems you want to solve
Openness to new tools and approaches
Team spirit – Collaboration over Competition

Catering

Coffee, tea and drinks throughout the day
Lunch on both days
Snacks & fruit
Dinner on the first day

Venue

ZDI Ideenlabor
Rottendorfer Straße 71
97074 Würzburg

Modern co-working space with:

Fast internet
Large work tables
Breakout rooms
Presentation technology

Getting There

By car: Parking available on site
By public transport: Tram line 3, stop “Rottendorfer Straße”

Questions?

Voices of the Participants

AI Vibe Hackathon #2 showed just how diverse the perspectives and experiences of participants can be. Here some of them share their detailed impressions:

Philipp Sodmann & Dominik Benchert – Medicine & Computer Science

Project: AIMergency Room – Intensive Care Training with AI

“The AI Vibe Hackathon was a really great experience for us. We managed to work intensely on one idea for two full days and actually end up with a working prototype.
Especially when you’ve had an idea for a long time but never find the time to actually implement it, this format is extremely valuable. The hackathon forces you into a minimalist approach — but that’s exactly why you end up with something in your hands. And only then can you really decide where the idea goes next.
On top of that, the atmosphere was totally relaxed and open. You get into conversations easily, meet interesting people and work in an environment that motivates rather than stresses.
What we found particularly valuable was deliberately taking these two days and saying: I’m stepping out of everyday life — now I’m building something. That was the biggest benefit for us.”

Key Takeaway: “Finally two days of focus — and a working MVP at the end.”

Michael Baumgart – Freelance Software Architect & Frontend Lead

Project: Barcamp Manager

“I was really keen to vibe-code — and that’s exactly what I could do here. It worked well to sit down, build, ask questions and be in exchange with others at the same time.
My app was actually only finished seconds before the presentation, but it ran flawlessly. That mix of time pressure, focus and support was extremely motivating. In the end you have something that works and take away not just ideas but a real result.
Particularly valuable for me was also the input on new tools. I didn’t know some of them before and will now test them deliberately further — also with the goal of turning them into production-grade code.
Overall the hackathon was very enriching, both professionally and in terms of the exchanges. I’ll definitely be back next time.”

Key Takeaway: “Built until 20 seconds before the presentation — and then the app ran.”

Raphael Lott – Musician, Producer & Educator

Project: Ocelo – Project Management for Music Labels

“I came to the AI Vibe Hackathon through personal contacts and felt at home straight away. Finally getting together with people who work and think similarly was very enriching for me.
My biggest learning was the modular approach: don’t think of ideas immediately as one big whole, but break them down into individual building blocks, create context and develop a product step by step from there. That shift in perspective was extremely helpful for me.
I’d had some exposure to AI projects, but almost no practical coding experience. Even so, I could learn a great deal here and contribute actively.
I was particularly inspired by the pitches at the end. Seeing in such a short time how differently people use AI tools and what ideas emerge from that was impressive. Overall a very open, creative and motivating event.”

Key Takeaway: “Breaking complex ideas into building blocks — that was my biggest learning.”

Mahshid Danesh, Dr. rer. nat – Protein Scientist

Project: Social Health & Wellbeing App

“The AI Vibe Hackathon was a really nice and motivating experience. One of the most valuable parts was how we were supported in transforming our ideas and designs into something usable — something we could actually test with real users.
I also really appreciated the networking aspect. It was inspiring to meet people whose mindset aligned with mine — people who are innovative, entrepreneurial, and eager to build. I learned a lot not only from the organizers and the structure of the hackathon, but also from the other participants.
At first, I expected a very step-by-step teaching approach, and that surprised me when it wasn’t the case. But I quickly realized this was actually a strength. Instead of following rigid instructions, we learned how to work independently, experiment with different tools, and decide what best fit our own ideas. The organizers guided us without limiting us.
The atmosphere was very comfortable and supportive — a space where you could focus, ask questions, collaborate, and really build. The two-day time limit created intense focus and energy, which pushed us to actually do something meaningful instead of just listening to talks.
I would absolutely recommend the AI Vibe Hackathon.”

Key Takeaway: “Two days were enough to create real momentum.”

Sebastian Piszczan – Quality Control Specialist

“I thought the hackathon was brilliant. In a short time you could take away a lot of knowledge — especially about how AI agents work and that the key lies in choosing the right agent and assigning it the right tasks.
I implemented a small project myself: a simple skate game that came together in under five minutes, entirely without classical coding. That showed me very clearly how quickly you can move into execution with the right tools.
I also particularly enjoyed the fact that everyone presented their projects at the end. That meant you could see not only your own results but those of others — and there were some really tangible, impressive outcomes. Overall a very well-rounded and motivating event.”

Key Takeaway: “Under five minutes to the first working prototype — without coding.”

Finn – Student from Würzburg

“I actually only discovered the hackathon the day before by simply googling ‘Hackathon Würzburg’. I was all the more surprised by how well organised the event was and how diverse the people who came together were.
What I particularly enjoyed was the constant exchange with other participants. It wasn’t just about grinding away at a project, but also about sharing ideas, learning from each other and talking about common interests.
I also learned a lot about how others use AI and what possibilities now exist — for example that certain tools can produce not just simple websites but entire apps.
The atmosphere was also very pleasant: good conversations, good food, sponsors who supported the event in a meaningful way. Overall a very positive experience.”

Key Takeaway: “Found it on Google — and came away completely convinced.”

Joachim Kalinowski – Computer Scientist, ISO & DPO @ Fraunhofer ISC

“I really enjoyed the event. I had actually planned to do more coding, but ended up going deep into networking and professional exchange — and that was excellent.
As a computer scientist I’m used to thinking through concepts in detail first and then implementing them. That process used to be time-consuming. With vibe-coding it’s significantly faster, you save an enormous amount of time and get into doing things sooner. That was the biggest benefit of this hackathon for me.
I was particularly surprised by the diversity of participants: people from completely different industries, with very different interests — from music to app development to new product ideas.
The framework was deliberately not too rigid, the atmosphere relaxed and open. That’s exactly what made the exchange possible. I’m very glad I came.”

Key Takeaway: “Vibe-coding saves an enormous amount of time.”

Ocucídia Maxaieie – M.A. Integrated Innovation Management

Project: Cookini App (1st Place)

“I thought the AI Vibe Hackathon was really great. You can tell that a lot of effort goes into giving participants useful tools and providing a good overview of current AI tools.
This was already my second hackathon. Through the first one I took away a great deal, and this time I was able to go deeper and refine further. I now regularly use the tools I discovered here in my studies and for various projects.
I also find the community very positive: through LinkedIn and meetups you already know some faces, which makes the atmosphere very pleasant. The networking and professional exchange are a major benefit for me.
I also found the introduction and overview of AI tools at the start very helpful — especially for picking up new participants where they are. Overall a very well-organised and appreciative event.”

Key Takeaway: “A real tool upgrade for studies and projects.”

“I find formats like this very valuable because they enable exchange and make visible what can be created in a short time. For me the demos and pitches are always the most exciting part — that’s where you see the breadth of thinking and results.
At the same time it also becomes clear: if you want to turn prototypes into professional products, you still need solid software engineering — a stable infrastructure, secure interfaces and a methodical approach. That’s exactly the interesting combination: iterate quickly at the top, build cleanly at the bottom.
What genuinely surprises me is the development in quality: compared to a year ago, what comes out of vibe-coding today is significantly better. With a structured approach you can achieve results that you wouldn’t have expected before.”

Key Takeaway: “The quality of vibe-coding has risen massively in one year.”

Thank You to All Participants!

The second AI Vibe Hackathon showed once again: the community for AI-assisted development is vibrant, creative, and growing steadily. We look forward to the next event!

AI Vibe Hackathon #2 - New Tools & Best Practices